Without Foundations

Without Foundations
Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Total Pages : 269
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781501723018
ISBN-13 : 1501723014
Rating : 4/5 (18 Downloads)

Synopsis Without Foundations by : Donald J. Herzog

Can political theorists justify their ideas? Do sound political theories need foundations? What constitutes a well-justified argument in political discourse? Don Herzog attempts to answer these questions by investigating the ways in which major theorists in the Anglo-American political tradition have justified their views. Making use of a wide range of primary texts, Herzog examines the work of such important theorists as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, the utilitarians (Jeremy Bentham, J. S. Mill. Henry Sidgwick, J. C. Harsanyi, R. M. Hare, and R. B. Brandt), David Hume, and Adam Smith. Herzog argues that Hobbes, Locke, and the utilitarians fail to justify their theories because they try to ground the volatile world of politics in immutable aspects of human nature, language, theology, or rationality. Herzog concludes that the works of Adam Smith and David Hume offer illuminating examples of successful justifications. Basing their political conclusions on social contexts, not on abstract principles, Hume and Smith develop creative solutions to given problems.

Morality Without Foundations

Morality Without Foundations
Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages : 282
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780195117318
ISBN-13 : 019511731X
Rating : 4/5 (18 Downloads)

Synopsis Morality Without Foundations by : Mark Timmons

Morality Without Foundations investigates fundamental metaethical questions about the meaning, truth, and justification of moral thought and discourse. Mark Timmons maintains that all versions of descriptivism in ethics, particularly certain accounts of moral realism, fail. He argues instead that a correct metaethical theory should embrace some version of non-descriptivism. Timmons defends what he calls "assertoric non-descriptivism" which, unlike traditional non-descriptivist views, holds that moral sentences are typically used to make genuine assertions. In defending this view, he exploits contextual semantics, providing him with the semantic flexibility to develop an irrealist account of moral discourse. Timmons goes on to support a contextualist moral epistemology, completing his overall version of contextualism in ethics. Like his foundationalist rivals, Timmons recognizes that there are moral beliefs that are epistemically basic in providing a basis for the justification of non-basic moral beliefs. Yet, he agrees with the coherentist in maintaining that there are no intrinsically justified beliefs that can serve as a single foundation for a system of moral knowledge. Timmons ultimately finds that regresses of justification of moral belief end with contextually basic beliefs--moral beliefs which, in the relevant context, are responsibly held, but in other contexts might not be suitable as regress stoppers. Timmons' novel defense of morality without foundations offers provocative reading for philosophers working in the areas of ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Yet, written with the student in mind, his lucid presentation of difficult ideas makes this book accessible to students and newcomers to the field of metaethics.

Foundations without Foundationalism

Foundations without Foundationalism
Author :
Publisher : Clarendon Press
Total Pages : 302
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780191524011
ISBN-13 : 0191524018
Rating : 4/5 (11 Downloads)

Synopsis Foundations without Foundationalism by : Stewart Shapiro

The central contention of this book is that second-order logic has a central role to play in laying the foundations of mathematics. In order to develop the argument fully, the author presents a detailed development of higher-order logic, including a comprehensive discussion of its semantics. Professor Shapiro demonstrates the prevalence of second-order notions in mathematics is practised, and also the extent to which mathematical concepts can be formulated in second-order languages . He shows how first-order languages are insufficient to codify many concepts in contemporary mathematics, and thus that higher-order logic is needed to fully reflect current mathematics. Throughout, the emphasis is on discussing the philosophical and historical issues associated with this subject, and the implications that they have for foundational studies. For the most part, the author assumes little more than a familiarity with logic as might be gained from a beginning graduate course which includes the incompleteness of arithmetic and the Lowenheim-Skolem theorems. All those concerned with the foundations of mathematics will find this a thought-provoking discussion of some of the central issues in this subject.

Contract Law Without Foundations

Contract Law Without Foundations
Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Total Pages : 257
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780191084584
ISBN-13 : 0191084581
Rating : 4/5 (84 Downloads)

Synopsis Contract Law Without Foundations by : Prince Saprai

This book advances a theoretical account of contract law, grounded in value pluralism. Arguing against attempts to delineate branches of legal doctrine by reference to single unifying values, the book suggests that a field such as contract law can only be explained and justified by the interaction of a multiplicity of moral values. In recent times, the philosophy of contract law has been dominated by the 'promise theory', according to which the morality of promise provides a 'blueprint' for the structure, shape, and content that contract law rules and doctrines should take. The promise theory is an example of what this book calls a 'foundationalist' theory, whereby areas of law reflect or are underlain by particular moral principles or sets of such principles. By considering contract law from the point of view of its theory, rules and doctrines, and broader political context, the book argues that the promise theory can only ever offer part of the picture. The book claims that 'top-down' theories of contract law such as the promise theory and its bitter rival the economic analysis of law seriously mishandle legal doctrine by ignoring or underplaying the irreducible plurality of values that shape contract law. The book defends the role of this multiplicity of values in forging contract doctrine by developing from the 'ground-up' a radical and distinctly republican reinterpretation of the field. The book encourages readers to move away from a 'top-down' theory of contract law such as the promise theory and instead embrace a distinctly republican approach to contract law that would justify the legal rules and doctrines we find in particular jurisdictions at particular times.

Karl Popper's Philosophy of Science

Karl Popper's Philosophy of Science
Author :
Publisher : Routledge
Total Pages : 154
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781134182954
ISBN-13 : 1134182953
Rating : 4/5 (54 Downloads)

Synopsis Karl Popper's Philosophy of Science by : Stefano Gattei

Rectifying misrepresentations of Popperian thought with a historical approach to Popper’s philosophy, Gattei reconstructs the logic of Popper’s development to show how one problem and its tentative solution led to a new problem.

Science Without Laws

Science Without Laws
Author :
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Total Pages : 310
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0226292088
ISBN-13 : 9780226292083
Rating : 4/5 (88 Downloads)

Synopsis Science Without Laws by : Ronald N. Giere

"Science without Laws thus stakes out a middle ground in these debates by demonstrating a more powerful way of seeing science."--BOOK JACKET.

Happy Slaves

Happy Slaves
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 293
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0226329259
ISBN-13 : 9780226329253
Rating : 4/5 (59 Downloads)

Synopsis Happy Slaves by : Don Herzog

So persuasive now as to be nearly invisible, consent theory posits humans as free agents, in whose individual choices must be sought the origin of political and social institutions. Herzog (political science, U. of Michigan) traces the birth of the theory to England in the 1600's, when the holistic view of society was becoming untenable. Very wittily written, and interesting to the general reader as well as the historian and social scientist. Paperback edition unseen. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Foundations for Moral Relativism

Foundations for Moral Relativism
Author :
Publisher : Open Book Publishers
Total Pages : 158
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781783740321
ISBN-13 : 1783740329
Rating : 4/5 (21 Downloads)

Synopsis Foundations for Moral Relativism by : J. David Velleman

In this new edition of Foundations for Moral Relativism a distinguished moral philosopher tames a bugbear of current debate about cultural difference. J. David Velleman shows that different communities can indeed be subject to incompatible moralities, because their local mores are rationally binding. At the same time, he explains why the mores of different communities, even when incompatible, are still variations on the same moral themes. The book thus maps out a universe of many moral worlds without, as Velleman puts it, "moral black holes”. The six self-standing chapters discuss such diverse topics as online avatars and virtual worlds, lying in Russian and truth-telling in Quechua, the pleasure of solitude and the fear of absurdity. Accessibly written, this book presupposes no prior training in philosophy.

Anarchy, State, and Utopia

Anarchy, State, and Utopia
Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages : 386
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780631197805
ISBN-13 : 063119780X
Rating : 4/5 (05 Downloads)

Synopsis Anarchy, State, and Utopia by : Robert Nozick

Robert Nozicka s Anarchy, State, and Utopia is a powerful, philosophical challenge to the most widely held political and social positions of our age ---- liberal, socialist and conservative.

Foundations of GMAT Math

Foundations of GMAT Math
Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Total Pages : 677
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780979017599
ISBN-13 : 0979017599
Rating : 4/5 (99 Downloads)

Synopsis Foundations of GMAT Math by : Manhattan GMAT

Manhattan GMAT's Foundations of Math book provides a refresher of the basic math concepts tested on the GMAT. Designed to be user-friendly for all students, this book provides easy-to-follow explanations of fundamental math concepts and step-by-step application of these concepts to example problems. With ten chapters and over 700 practice problems, this book is an invaluable resource to any student who wants to cement their understanding and build their basic math skills for the GMAT. Purchase of this book includes six months online access to the Foundations of Math Homework Banks consisting of over 400 extra practice questions and detailed explanations not included in the book.